2003

Wednesday 12th November 2003
All Catholics Invited to Special Diocesan Gatherings
What does it mean to be a Catholic in contemporary Australian society? Why have so many people, particularly the young, walked away from the Church? Why is the school community the only relationship some families have with the Church? How can we work together more effectively as followers of Jesus to create a better world?

Catholics throughout the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle are invited to have their say on these and other significant issues of Church life during ten special gatherings (Assemblies) to be held in different regions of the diocese finishing in March 2004.

The first of the gatherings was held in the Upper Hunter on August 31. Participants described the event as “inspirational”, “superbly organised” and “fun”, with widespread calls to make the gathering an annual event.

Bishop Michael Malone, who will be present at each of the special gatherings, declared that if the experience of the Upper Hunter Assembly was a guide, the diocese could look forward to a profound renewal process over the next year as the other nine regions held their own gatherings.

In his pastoral message to the diocesan community earlier this year Bishop Malone said, “It is my firm hope that as many Catholics as possible will accept this invitation and take the opportunity to reflect together on where we are as Church ten years on from the (Diocesan) Synod and where we hope to be in the future.”

“It is of particular importance that we hear the voices of young people. Every parish in the diocese struggles with the alarming loss of young people from our worshipping communities. We need to ask ourselves and our young people why they and so many of our fellow Catholics have moved away from regular involvement in Church life. Moreover, we must not be afraid of, or angered by, their responses.”

In order to provide common input for all regions to consider, Fr Richard Lennan, a priest of this diocese - currently head of the Faculty of Theology at the Catholic Institute of Sydney - will be keynote speaker at most of the Assemblies.

Fr Lennan’s aim will be to generate discussion among the assembly participants and to address questions such as: How do we account for the present shape of the Church? What type of Church are we called to be? What sort of future might we shape with our present resources and experience?

It is hoped that Fr Lennan’s presentation and the discussion it generates will provide the context for, and shed light on, any local regional issues raised.

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